Category: Star Trek

Star Trek: Beyond Explores the Wild West But What’s Next?

The only thing Star Trek: Beyondovie series has not done is to transcend beyond the material set in the series bible.

Star Trek Beyond PosterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Half-way through the five-year mission in Star Trek Beyond, the crew of the USS Enterprise are starting to plan for their future. Some have settled in to a comfortable life, finding relationships with fellow crew-mates, and others are just wanting it to be over. Before the end of the first act, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) mentions he’s looking to continue his career elsewhere, and still has a few daddy issues to mull over. Spock (Zachary Quinto) has his own share of problems and the rest of the crew are considering their options.

As for what happens next, a stop for supplies at a space station in the shape of a hexagonal orb is more like a new beginning. As options are weighed, one last mission is requested at a nebula that has not been fully explored. Here, shades of Star Trek Deep Space Nine is hinted at. Instead of a wormhole for wayfarers to go through, the expanse of space is filled with a different hazard — aliens not encountered before.

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Star Trek: TNG Swimwear for the Explorer in You.

TNGSwimwear5By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Think Geek has revealed a line of Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) swimwear for women, just in time for the United States‘ Memorial Day weekend. But don’t fret, women internationally will still have the Canada Day long weekend (July 1) and Japan‘s Marine Day (a blessing of the oceans on July 18) to spend on the beach like they’re on an away mission.

Swimsuits come in The Next Generation uniform colours of red, blue, and gold. There is also a Deanna Troi swim shirt for women who burn easily and need to cover up without compromising their TNG look. And for those who are heading to the public pool or to the one in the backyard there is a romper one can wear. Star Trek: TNG swimwear is available now at ThinkGeek.

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Climb Aboard to See Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage 50th Anniversary Concert!

Michael Dorn’s voice guided the show. Shatner and Patrick Stewart also provided pre-recorded voice over in some sections, and it helps underscore the meaning of what Star Trek Generations is truly about.

Star Trek at 50 Years Anniversary LogoApr 15 – Regina
Conexus Art Centre

Apr 16 – Winnipeg
Burton Cummings Theatre

Please check local listings for other venues.

No Star Trek fan will want to miss The Ultimate Voyage: 50th Anniversary Concert Tour flying to select cities all across North America and beyond. This event is now into a Canadian leg of their show and they will return to the United States with more performances in May before taking a break. The event will cumulate to a special performance September 25, 2016, at the Palais des Congres in Paris, France. Had the date been Sept 8th, the broadcast date of Star Trek, the true die-hard would have noticed.

The Paramount Theatre was used in the Seattle, WA show as a fitting nod to the studio who owns this special property. The stage was decorated to resemble the bridge of the Enterprise from The Next Generation, and there was an effervescence glow. The lighting changed to establish the mood of each orchestral score. The music played perfectly in sync with the video montage (all of which was gloriously remastered for the big screen in Digital Cinema Package) of the series. Whoever put together this presentation really knew each Star Trek episode and film. To see the music played as Spock fought Kirk in “Amok Time” brought the same chills in me as I saw it back then, on television, for the first time. Another pivotal moment which stirred my emotions was when Picard was being transformed into a Borg and led the charge in “Best of Both Worlds.” The last frames showed Locutus before Riker said, “Fire!”

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Two of the Funniest Photos from Emerald City Comicon!

ecccLogoBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

I don’t normally share photos unless I think there will be a great interest in them. But these two photos are the exception, one of the photos is to provide context while the other two are just laugh out loud funny. Right now the annual Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) is being held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, from April 7-10. As described on the ECCC history page:

Emerald City Comicon is the premier comic book and pop culture convention in the Northwest, taking place in beautiful downtown Seattle, Washington.

In 2015, Emerald City Comicon soared to 80,000 people over three days and featured hundreds of comic book guests, celebrity guests and more!

Emerald City Comicon is another killer event by ReedPOP. ReedPOP also runs New York Comic Con, C2E2, PAX Prime, PAX East, Star Wars Celebration, Special Edition: NYC, BookCon, Oz Comic-Con and many more. For more info on ReedPOP, be sure to check out ReedPOP.com.

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Canada Post Exploring New Worlds for Star Trek’s 50th

KirkStampBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

It is hard to believe it has been almost 50 years since Gene Roddenberry‘s vision of what mankind could achieve was first broadcast (aired September 8, 1966) on the NBC Television Network. And to commemorate the event Canada Post is releasing an undisclosed number of collector stamps. A promotional video on Canada Post’s official website, features Line Rainville of Quebec, the woman who renovated the basement of her house to look like the interior of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Line reveals in the video the first two collector’s stamps, James T. Kirk (played in the series by Canadian-born William Shatner) and the starship U.S.S. Enterprise. At the end of the video it is indicated there will be a continuation with a second video. Canada Post revealed to Star Trek.com “that more such sightings are planned and that fans should be on the look-out for ‘all-things-Canadian’ with the series.”

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Cherry Bomb’s National Toy Museum of Canada in Victoria, BC Brings Heartfelt Memories

Cherry Bomb Toys Storefront1410 Broad St
Victoria, BC Canada
(250) 385-8697

10 am – 6 pm Mon-Sat,
12 pm – 5 pm Sun

After much renovation to Cherry Bomb Toys mezzanine area, the store operators opened their National Toy Museum of Canada. After a few weeks, the guest book is indicating that people are keen on the idea. There were visitors from as far as Manitoba! Entry is by donation or purchasing an item at the store.

In what’s displayed brings plenty of fond memories. From the 1920’s is Meccano (‘Mechanics Made Easy’ was this construction set’s slogan and this product is modernized for today’s youths), during the early 1980’s several Mini-Arcades by Coleco brought video games to the home in a pint-sized package and made in the late 80’s were Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The original toys stood beside their 2010 counterparts to show how these heroes in the half shell evolved with the times. The highlight for me is with the toys from the 70’s, namely the Six Million Dollar Man and the robots who predated the Transformers craze. Plenty of GoBots can be spotted, but for me, Marvel Comics‘ Shogun Warriors (I have the complete run) solidified my nerdiness. I drooled over the display case, wishing I could paw, er play with them like a needy cat.

Cherry Bomb Toy Museum Stargate Display

Other notable items included the catalog from the Propworx Stargate SG-1 auction from 2010. The props donated to this museum came from an anonymous individual and if I could only hold the Zat’ni’katel, the gun used to stun opponents with, I’d truly geek out. Even a panel of a Goa’uld ship and a door switch lays on display. Very rarely collectors give their memorabilia from such a prominent show away, and this operation will display items from private collectors willing to loan them out (I might consider bringing to them my Studio Ghibli stuffed doll collection) so what’s on exhibit can regularly change. Patrons could find something new, if not rearranged, to look at during a visit to this store / museum operation.

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